Pool Hustlers
by IzzyDelta
Summary: Pre-Series. One of Sam's friends loses money to a familiar hustler. Sam gets it back for her before abandoning his friends to spend time with him. Who just might the Pool Hustler be? One shot


**Pool Hustlers**

Sam Winchester walks into his favourite pub in Palo Alto, California with a group of his friends. Being the tallest, he surveys the room to find an empty table big enough for all seven of them. He spots the right table and leads his friends towards it. Sam slides into the first seat claiming it as his own. A tall leggy blonde woman slips onto his lap.

'The pool tables are busy tonight.' One of the other girls remarks. Sam looks over.

'Go over if you want your money taken off you. Sharks are a-swimming.' Sam says smirking evilly.

'What do you mean?' The girl asks.

'Katie, at least two of those men are hustlers.'

'How can you tell?' Jess asks as the last of their group joins them bearing their drinks.

'Thanks Brady.' He wraps his arms around Jess. 'The hustlers have calculating gazes. They scope out their marks as much as the tables. I've seen enough of them growing up.' The ex-hunter states. 'And their clothes are rather poor quality.' He adds. Katie stands. Sam reaches out and drag her back down.

'I want to try my luck.'

'Then do it with a drink or two in you. They won't play you sober. They'll refuse.' Katie reluctantly sits back down and takes a mouthful of her drink. Sam copies her. His eyes flit over to the tables repeatedly as he and his friends make conversation. Katie finishes her drink quickly and stands to make her way over to the pool players before Sam can stop her.

'I'm off to play.' She states confidentially.

'Off to lose everything she's got.' Sam mutters quietly to make sure she can't hear him. Jess playfully hits him.

'Don't be mean. She's a good player.'

'But not skilful. Skill is what she needs. With a hefty side helping of luck.' Sam takes a swig from his beer bottle. 'Should be entertaining though.'

'SAM!' Jess and Becky, the remaining girl, chorus. One of the hustlers glancing over and makes eye contact with Sam. They lock gazes for a split second before pretending they don't know each other. A whole conversation had taken place in the spilt second. Sam telling the hustler to take all her money. The hustler asking why. And Sam requesting the con-man to trust him. Sam and his friends watch Katie's pool game with interest. To begin with the game looks like it's going Katie's way.

'Katie's doing good.' One of the guys, Luis, mutters.

'Don't jinx it.' Sam mutters into his bottle as he hides a smiles. Mentally he counts down in his head. Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one… 'Now.' He murmurs to himself.

'What?' Luis asks.

'The tables are turned.' Luis looks back to the table where Katie is playing. Or rather standing to one side as the hustler wipes the table clean of balls. Pocketing shot after shot with a couple of trick shots thrown in. Katie slinks back to the table with a fresh drink. She slumps into her seat and stares into her drink.

'You were right Sam.' She whispers. She looks up at him.

'How much?'

'One hundred and fifty.'

'And before he cleaned you out?'

'Had four hundred.'

'You won two fifty?' Katie's nods. 'I'll get it back for you.' Sam slides out from under his girlfriend

'Sam you can't play!' Luis protests. Sam's eyes sparkle scarily.

'Can't I?' He challenges leaning into Luis. He straightens and looks at Kate. 'The one with soft spikey hair, black leather jacket and faded jeans?' Kate nods and Sam saunters over to the table. He claps the swindler on the shoulder in a friendly fashion. Sam glances over to his gathered friends and sends them a big grin. 'Double or quits on her money.' He speaks clearly.

'Done.' Comes the very clear reply. 'Best of three?'

'Course.' Jess frowns at the cocky reply from Sam.

'What is he doing?' She whispers scared to take her eyes off him. The first game is pretty equal between Sam and his opponent with Sam winning by just a couple of points. 'One to Sam.' She utters almost silently as if terrified that her words might distract Sam. As if sensing her unease he looks over and sends her a reassuring look. She smiles weakly back. The second game follows along similar lines to the first but Sam looses by a larger number of points. 'One all.' Jess breathes.

'It hangs in the balance.' One of the other guys says rather loudly just as Sam lines up to make the break.

'Zach. Don't distract him' Becky slaps his arms. Sam ignores them and makes the break, sending balls all over the table but pocketing none. His challengers steps up and shakes his head grinning.

'Smart bastard.' He mutters lining up a shot. He makes it 'Damn.' Sam smirks and steps up to the table. He clears awkward shot after impossible shot after trick shot. In minutes Sam clears the entire table. After pocketing a very simple straight shot he stands tall to his full height and smiles broadly.

'I believe that's two one to me.' The pool shark shakes his head fondly and laughs heartily. Sam holds his hand out and eight hundred dollars are slapped into his hand. Sam claps him on the opposite shoulder and heads back over to his friends. He counts out half the money and gives it back to Katie. 'Next time I tell you to leave you leave it. Coz, I won't do it again.' Kate nods at his stern look. A whistle makes Sam look back to the table he had played at. The shark makes some signs at Sam that most of the other students can't decipher. Sam smirks and replies using similar signals.

'How did you do that?' Zach asks.

'You've been holding out on us.'

'Not really.' Sam retorts. 'I just haven't told you everything.' He swigs from a fresh bottle. 'Besides it's pretty easy if you know their tricks.'

'Rough childhood huh?' The pool shark standing behind then surprises all but Sam.

'You know all about it.'

'I do don't I?' he smiles. 'You cleaned me out.'

'Good.'

'Of my reserve cash.'

'Shame.' Sam deadpans. Sam's friends look between the two torn between defending Sam and questioning him. 'Shouldn't have swindled my friends then.'

'How do you know the tricks?' Brady asks.

'Yeah Sammy, how do you know the tricks.'

'You tell me.' Sam retorts. 'You joining us?'

'If I'm not going to cramp your style.' Sam glares at the crook, who smiles and draws up a chair. Jess and Katie glare at him but he just shakes it off.

'Sam, tell us.' Becky tries to persuade him with a puppy dog expression.

'Not as good as Sammy's.'

'Dude? Seriously?'

'Anyway, he knows the tricks because he grew up learning them.'

'And how do you know that?' Zach enquires.

'Outside. Now.' Sam stands, edges around the table and grabs him by the shoulder before he can be embarrassed anymore.

'If I was cramping your style you could have said Dude.' The six remaining students exchange bemused glances as Sam steers the guy out of the door.

'Caleb, we're going.'

'Right.' The other swindler calls just as Sam walks out through the door. 'Coming.' He gathers up his winnings and darts out of the door after the pair.

Two hours later, Jess lets herself into Sam's dorm room in an attempt to find out what the hell went on in the bar earlier. 'You shouldn't break in people's rooms like that. You don't know who or what might be lurking behind that door.' The pool shark's voice emanates from the floor between the beds.

'Who the hell are you?' she demands.

'Wouldn't you like to know sweetheart.'

'Dude seriously?' Sam appears behind Jess carrying a crate of beer bottles. 'That's my girlfriend.'

'Caleb just called. He needs to get home ASAP.'

'So?'

'He's my ride outta here.'

'Greyhound? Flight? Train? Boat?'

'Very funny Sammy. With my luggage and no cash?'

'Good point. So you off?'

'Yeah. I would stay but-' he frowns and shrugs. Jess switches her gaze between the two of them.

'Yeah. You can't keep Caleb waiting.'

'See you around Sammy.'

'Yeah, you too.' The strange man claps Sam on the shoulder as he edges past. 'Hey' Sam takes the four hundred dollars he kept from his winnings and hands it over. 'You'll need this.'

'You didn't clean me out Sammy. Said that to make you look better. It was going to you anyway.'

'That's you?' He gets a nod in reply. 'Why?'

'So you can concentrate on your studies and don't have to worry about money. I'm taking care of you from afar Sammy. Now look me in the eyes and tell me that money doesn't help.'

'I can't and you know it.'

'Then don't refuse it.'

'You're a short-ass Bitch.'

'Whatever Jerk.'

'You take care of him, or answer to me.' The unknown man points at Jess before disappearing down the hall.

'Hey wait.' Sam darts to the door but fails to catch sight of him again. 'Damn. Wanted to give him something.'

'Who is he? Sam?'

'My brother. Caleb's a family friend.'

'Your brother? The one who brought you up?'

'Yeah. Dean.' Sam closes the door and pulls her across the floor to his bed where they curl up together and quickly fall asleep. Outside an engine roars as a car pulls away.


End file.
